BHP Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says BHP Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold application and should look for a route through someone who already knows the foundation.
- Its stated priorities are Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru and global work, and its themes are Indigenous self-determination, education equity, and future skills and STEM, so work in those places and areas is the clearest fit.
- In its latest filing, 99% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so relationships appear to weigh heavily.
- About 8 in 10 grants fall between $98,500 and $2,500,000, with a median of about $805,000, so a request should be sized with that typical band in mind, though it is not a ceiling, since the largest grant was about $11,500,000.
Overview
BHP Foundation is a US private foundation based in Washington, DC.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation provides grant funding to innovative NGOs, think tanks and national and international institutions seeking to address root causes of social issues and shift barriers to equity and sustainability. Its investment approach supports national and local organisations developing solutions to systemic barriers with long-term impact, and encourages partners to amplify outcomes and build organisational capacity, networks and learning. Its focus includes greater equity and self-determination for Indigenous peoples and local communities, spanning governance, culture and wellbeing, economic equity, and land and sea. It also prepares underrepresented children and young people for the future economy through future skills and science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Themes
- Indigenous self-determination
- Education equity
- Future skills and STEM
Geographic Focus
Priority: Australia; Canada; Chile; Peru; global. From its grants, not stated by the foundation: Virginia; New York; District of Columbia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 152 grants to organisations were about $805,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours national and local organisations exploring solutions to systemic barriers with potential for long-term impact.
- It encourages partners to amplify positive outcomes beyond a project’s immediate reach.
- It seeks enduring impact by funding organisational capacity and supporting networks and learning.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 55%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations BHP Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 42% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Australia, Chile, Canada, Norway).
- 23% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 51 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $670k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- The Nature Conservancy · Valdivian coastal reserve - annual disbursement and travel reimbursement$11,483,5132024 tax year
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation · Resilient reefs initiative - phase 2 scaling$7,119,2582024 tax year
- MakeWay Foundation · Nwt on the land youth collaborative (donor collaborative fund)$6,451,4772024 tax year
- Csiro · Stem champions project (2022 - 2026)$3,678,8222024 tax year
- University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre · Right care, first time, where you live youth mental health$3,553,9282024 tax year
- Indigenous Desert Alliance · Keeping the deserts connected - phase 2$3,398,8202024 tax year
- University of Sydney Matilda Centre · Mentally healthy future$3,137,2462024 tax year
- SmartICE Sea Monitoring and Information · Ice navigation, economic self determination and culture preservation for inuit youth and communities$2,506,5792024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- JP Morgan Trust Company Of Delaware — Trustee Of Valdivian Trust
- Bronwyn Anne Wilkinson — Director (Began 10/31/24)
- Heather Anne Brown — Director
- James William Agar — Director
- Carlos Avila — Director
- Helen Dransfield — Secretary
- Sarah Costello — Treasurer (Began 12/09/24)
- Kristen Ray — President / Executive Officer
- Vandita Pant — Chair
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $47,361,916 | $44,275,476 | $297,060,834 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $59,262,638 | $55,942,382 | $250,110,392 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $77,931,691 | $75,642,509 | $185,422,036 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to BHP Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- safeguarding@bhp-foundation.org
- Washington, DC
- bhp-foundation.org/en
Applying to BHP Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- safeguarding@bhp-foundation.org
- Washington, DC
- bhp-foundation.org/en